November 11, 2011

On the 09th November 2011, a concerned citizen, Femi Adigun who is also with the Nigerian Police Force reported a case of human trafficking in Port-Harcourt to our NGO – Zahara Women Foundation.

Upon receiving the report, all necessary information were forwarded to the Executive Secretary of the National Agency for Prohibition of Traffic in Persons and other Related Maters NAPTIP, Mrs. Beatrice Jedy-Agba who acted very swiftly and directed the Assistant Director of investigation to take immediate action.

Our investigation through the help of Femi Adigun revealed that the victim’s mother Madam Charity Nduka residing at Eleme Aleto inside Wnner’s Chapel road has being trafficking her daughter through ‘pimps’ since the age of 14yrs thereby forcing her into sex work. All financial proceeds from this illegal act were collected by the mother, making Madam Charity Nduka the beneficiary of this illegal activity.
The victim who is now 17yrs was recently placed in a love-vendor’s house, a woman named Joy Chika who resides at Iwofe Road by Akar Juntion opposite Dosreal Hotel Iwofe, by her mother Madam Charity Nduka for further forced sex work.

While at the love-vendor’s (Joy Chika) house, the victim summoned some courage, decided enough was enough and ran to a church to seek refuge, but because Charity Nduka desperately wants to continue using her teenage daughter for money generating purposes, stormed the church with some thugs and caused quite a scene, shouting and threatening to sue the church for kidnapping if her daughter wasn’t released to her immediately.
On various occasions when the victim refuses to be trafficked, she was beaten, threatened and abused by Charity Nduka. This has been a very traumatizing experience for the victim especially when the abuser is her own mother who is suppose to protect and guide her through childhood to adulthood.

The Executive Director of Zahara Women Foundation spoke to the victim who narrated her ordeal, a sad situation which was confirmed by Femi Adigun who diligently monitored the situation on ground.

“Human trafficking is the illegal trade of human beings for the purposes of reproductive slavery, commercial sexual exploitation, forced labor, or a modern-day form of slavery. The Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children (also referred to as the Trafficking Protocol) was adopted by the United Nations in Palermo, Italy in 2000, and is an international legal agreement attached to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime”

This intervention was made possible through a combined partnership efforts of Ronke Ojeikere-Ikoroh, Executive Director of SOTHAWACA, Elsie Ijorogu Reed, Executive Director of DeltaWomen, Princess Rosemary Mukoro, Executive Director of Zahara Women Foundation, NAPTIP Executive Secretary Mrs. Beatrice Jedy-Agba, Femi Adigun, and Uyo NAPTIP officials

The victim is now in a safe environment, while the ‘evil’ mother and her accomplices are in NAPTIP’s net and hopefully justice will be served to prevent similar incidents from ever happening again

I don't believe its her own child. They should investigate well. That the little girl sees her as her mother does not mean she is her mother

All na 'fruit' of the womb na.
Blessed art thou amongst women.